Wow

So- I'm giving each of the 2 sections of freshman English who actually met all 3 times last week a free day and playing games. I put the students into 5 groups of 4-5 and had them list the English speaking countries, cities, holidays, and names in rounds.

I made it very clear that English had to be the native language, the main language. Not a single group could list more than 5 English speaking countries and answers included Mexico, Denmark, Russia, Switzerland, and SPAIN! Let me add that this was a lesson last week in the text book AND we wrote every country, that anyone in the class could think of, and it's language ON THE BOARD! I even drew continents.

For cities, answers included Guam, Hawaii, the Philippines, and Alaska. Holidays were ok- about thirty percent of the population is Christian and they have many other similar holidays. Names were good although I told them 'No family/last names! Only first names!' and they still tried to give me Spears, Depp, Jolie, and Thurman.

I guess I shouldn't be too surprised- it's not like most American 18 year olds can fill out a map either. Hallelujah to the nuns who beat geography into me.

Totally non sequitur, I discovered a brand of 100% additive free tobacco today. It's called 'Hoopa', which is an American native tribe. The motto is 'The Secret of Columbus Taste'. They cost 3,000 won (about $2.75). They taste ok. Mostly I bought them because they came in a tin can and I love that kind of stuff. Usually I smoke Dunhill or Parliament lights at 2,500 won (about $2.25). Camels aren't sold here and I don't like Marlboro lights. Esse, skinny girlie looking, is a really popular brand. Experimenting has caused me to buy mini cigars twice.

A typical meal and more photos

Here is the bibimbap as served at the campus Korean restaurant next to the language center where I work. Very typical of a meal here- you get the main dish and a bunch of side dishes. If the side dishes get empty you can ask for more free of charge. Also- no tipping and fantastic service.

Front and center is bibimbap, served sizzling in a hot hot pot. This is bulgogi (beef) bibimbap to be exact. It's the only thing I know how to order if no-one else is with me (and I'm always worried I'll get squid if I just point). Bottom right is a soup like hot liquid- basically sprouts, green onion, and hot water. Three different kinds of kimchee- upper left is the classic cabbage, upper right is my favorite- green onion, middle right is, um, I'm not sure. It's sorta chewy.

I'm also not sure what the vegetable below the cabbage kimchi on the left is, but I like it. Sort of pasta-like in a sweet brown sauce with sesame seeds. Yummy. Top middle is squid. Blech, I don't like it but I rarely like squid. A lot of other people like it.

Here's some more pics-
http://www.facebook.com/JodyO.thecrashbaby?ref=profile#!/album.php?aid=203199&id=552100812&ref=mf

We had a dinner party on Saturday at Marc and Nicole's. They have a swanky 3 room apt because they're a couple. Doug cooked, barefoot, he knows his place. Seafood. It was delicious! We drank many bottles of wine- French, Chilean, and Australian wine costs about the same here as it does in the states. California wines are about twice as expensive.

Sunday we walked to another Buddhist temple- the watermelon temple. The monk invited us in and fed us. This monk was watching the news (last time they were watching soap operas). The big story right now is a ship that sank from an explosion- it may or may not have hit a N Korean mine.

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2010/03/29/201003290038.asp

At any rate, the monk gave us candy, grapes, and coffee and stuffed our pockets full of candy as we left. She had pictures on the wall of herself at Niagara Falls, the UN headquarters in NYC- plus her diplomas, inc a PhD in Philosophy. She was very chatty but unfortunately- I don't speak Korean. Yet. Chris does but he won't translate. He says we need to learn how to speak it ourselves.

I really love the temples, besides the fact they feed me, they are also incredibly beautiful and peaceful, and there are tons of them around. This one is only about a 20 minute walk (straight UP a steep hill) from my house so I'm sure I'll be back.

My name in Hangul

Hangul is the Korean script. It's totally phonetic which is awesome. I can sound everything out- even though I still don't have jack for vocabulary. I just discovered the key on my keyboard that lets me type Hangul.

Jody 초디

Alexis, I think- I'm not sure about the 'x' sound so I wrote it as 'ks'

알엨셋

O'Neill
오 닐

Jodatha, but I don't think the 'th' exists in Korean so this actually says 'Jodata'

촏앝아

Crash Baby
ㅋ렜 뱁 이

Cancelled classes

Wednesday was an all campus event that I still don't get what it was about. First student I asked told me a boat was departing from the library, then I had 5 students all bowing ('it was' bow bow bow)??, then another student showed me pictures of an alter with candles and food and fire twirlers, and the last student I asked said it was 'to drink makali' (fermented rice drink with about the strength of beer). My best guess is the last is probably the closest- after all he is in my 'advanced' section. All of my afternoon classes were canceled.

I teach 7 sections of freshman conversational English that meet 3 x a week each. Except for the (1) advanced class they all have the same structure, plans, and lectures for each week of the semester. But, most of my sections are science and technology majors and they have MT (major training) this week. I have also asked what MT involves and am gathering it too involves makali. And probably soju. What it means to me is that yesterday and today most of classes are canceling again. Basically- if less than 50% of the students show- no class. Thank god I have a couch in my office.

What's sorta frustrating is that now my classes are all out of whack. Some have met once, some twice, and some all 3 times. The 2 sections that did show for the third class played games and won US pennies. And listened to 'Everybody is a Star' by Sly & the Family Stone and discussed the lyrics. I think we'll play games next week too until they are back on the same schedule. Besides- I can get even the lowest level students talking in English when it's games.....

Alien Registration Card

Woooohoooooo! I am officially an alien! I got my resident alien card today!

This means-
-I can get a cell phone! (which also means I can forward my online numbers and my US peeps can call me for free). I'm going to get a video phone. Everyone else has one......
- I can open a bank account! Which means I can get paid. I like getting paid.
- I now have national health insurance! I can go to the doctor, dentist, get acupuncture, and prescriptions for almost nothing. Like $5-10. Hoooooray! (I pay about 4% of my income- matched by my employer for full coverage- including optical and dental)
- I can get a drivers license!
------I am so NOT doing this. Public transportation is cheap and reliable and a red light means 'stop if you feel like it'. Unless your a taxi driver, if your a taxi driver it means GO FASTER!

Plus- there's some kind of festival going on. Something about 'Opening Day Ceremony'. We're in the 4th week of school so I'm not really sure what it's all about (one of students told me a boat will depart- from the library. Hmmm???) but I have a flood of students coming to my office with their officially stamped absence excuses and I've canceled my classes so far because only one or two people showed. I think I will study Korean. Maybe blog some more. Maybe not.